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Lost Causes and Signs

Just a reminder that you and I serve a wonderful, merciful, omnipotent God. His love is unconditional and all-consuming. He also knows that we, as mere human beings, cannot begin to understand the implications of His love and mercy, so sometimes, when we least expect it and need it most, He sends us little reminders. God’s signs are subtle, clever and personalized, meant to reassure that we are loved and give us the grace we need to get through daunting situations. I received a “love letter” from God today:

In my recent blog posts, I’ve mentioned the guy I’m not quite dating. He’s a lapsed Catholic, and intuition tells me he has a slew of deep emotional scars on his heart that keep him closed off from Christ’s healing. Serious wounds he’s probably carried from around the age of twelve. I’ve been praying for him frequently, for his chastity and conversion and for him to overcome his current depression. I haven’t heard from him in a week, though I’ve tried several times to text him and see whether everything is okay.

Anyway, he’s been on my mind all week, and this morning I was just feeling angry and confused. Why won’t he text back? Is he ignoring me and hoping I’ll take a hint? Or is this just the crippling effect of depression I know all too well from my own past? The best solution, I thought, was to go pray it over. I got off the light rail and tried finding my way to the Basilica, but I got a little lost. Then, out of nowhere, I look up and see the St. Jude Shrine in front of me. Experience has taught me that when I’m feeling lost and happen upon a Catholic church, it’s God’s way of telling me to go in, so I did. I knelt before a statue of St. Jude, and while I did, it occurred to me that Jude really was the saint whose intercession I needed. The patron saint of lost causes. I’ve been worrying that maybe my friend John is a lost cause, after all. Then I got a little teary-eyed just thinking about how much Jesus Christ loved the “lost causes” in the New Testament. This man kissed the lepers clean, raised Lazarus from the grave, healed the sick and blind and deaf, forgave the woman caught in adultery, and personally conquered sin and death for all of mankind. There are no lost causes where Christ is concerned. I thought I was a lost cause for the longest time, but He told me otherwise. He can do the same for John.

I visited the St. Jude Shrine gift shop and bought John a Rosary. Prayer has been my #1 weapon in the face of crippling depression. He might not ever use it, but I want to give him a concrete reminder that should he find himself absolutely desperate, feeling like nothing could possibly help, there’ll be one thing he hasn’t tried. No matter what happens between him and me, I’ve resolved that I will somehow bring him closer to Christ.

Here’s the end of my story: I just realized a few minutes ago that yesterday was St. Jude’s feast day. Experience has taught me that there are no coincidences where Christ is concerned.